BLM, Town of Gypsum partner to improve wildlife habitat (11-18-13)

GYPSUM, Colo. – Work to enhance wildlife habitat on public land through a cooperative project between the Town of Gypsum and the Bureau of Land Management is set to begin this month southeast of Gypsum.

The BLM and the Town are working together to re-seed 140 acres of public land that burned in the 1980s in the “Hardscrabble” area but is now dominated by thistle and other non-native vegetation.

“This is an important winter concentration area for elk and mule deer,” said BLM Wildlife Biologist Darren Long. “Our goal is to restore the native grasses and mixed mountain shrubs that are important to wildlife.”

Specialists from the BLM Colorado River Valley Field Office developed a wildlife-friendly native seed mixture ideal for the Hardscrabble area. Beginning this week, Gypsum-based Rocky Mountain Reveg will apply 1,750 pounds of seeds from 10 species of grasses, forbs and shrubs to the area through drill seeding. The BLM will also continue the weed treatments it began this fall as necessary.

The Town of Gypsum contributed $15,000 to this project, and the BLM $20,000.

“The growth pressures of our community unfortunately have negative impacts on the wildlife we share this area with, so it is great to see this important habitat improvement project take place,” said Lana Gallegos, senior planner for the Town of Gypsum. “The subdivisions that pay Wildlife Impact Fees have allowed the Town of Gypsum to partner with the BLM and help give back to the various wildlife species that have been affected by development.”

The BLM manages more than 245 million acres of public land, the most of any Federal agency. This land, known as the National System of Public Lands, is primarily located in 12 Western states, including Alaska. The BLM also administers 700 million acres of sub-surface mineral estate throughout the nation. The BLM's mission is to manage and conserve the public lands for the use and enjoyment of present and future generations under our mandate of multiple-use and sustained yield. In Fiscal Year 2014, the BLM generated $5.2 billion in receipts from public lands.